By BECKY BOHRER
The Associated Press
JUNEAU (AP) — The Alaska House organized Thursday — 31 days into the legislative session and a week after choosing a speaker — but questions remained about how functional the 40-member chamber would be.
Two legislators have indicated they do not plan to caucus with a bipartisan coalition led by Republican Speaker Louise Stutes or with an 18-member Republican bloc.
Anchorage Republican Rep. Sara Rasmussen said she is not participating in either caucus but was able to negotiate a seat on the budget-writing House Finance Committee. She told reporters she was “willing to have conversations about certain votes” but had not committed to vote any certain way. She said she won’t support any income tax bills or major oil tax changes.
Rep. Geran Tarr, an Anchorage Democrat, told the Anchorage Daily News she would not remain part of the mainly Democratic coalition of which she has long been a member. She told the outlet a majority with 21 or 22 members is “marginal,” and that she may, by withdrawing from the coalition, force creation of a larger organization that includes more Republicans.
Tarr did not respond to repeated messages from The Associated Press. Her Capitol door was locked but an aide came out to greet reporters seeking interviews.
Tarr and Rasmussen joined coalition members Thursday in supporting the adoption of a report formally setting committee assignments.
The coalition also includes independents and two Republicans — Stutes of Kodiak — who has previously been part of the coalition, and Rep. Kelly Merrick of Eagle River, who broke with Republicans to give Stutes the minimum 21 votes needed to become speaker last week.
A coalition has held power in the House since 2017. Alaska has a Republican-led Senate.
Bills were read in the House Thursday and assigned to committees, something typically done within the first few days of session.
The legislative session is one-third through the 90-day limit set in law and one-quarter through the 121-day session set in the state Constitution. Lawmakers in recent years have needed 121 days — and, often special sessions — to complete their work. Major issues confront them in this session, including the budget, with Alaska in the midst of a near decade-long run of deficits, and the future of the annual check paid residents from the state’s oil-wealth fund.
